Race Weekend Central

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2020 Auto Club 400

NASCAR Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? After losing a major sponsor prior to the season, Alex Bowman could be racing for his ride this year.  The 26-year-old Arizona native is a free agent after the season, and he may need to convince Hendrick Motorsports that keeping him is in the team’s best …

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Alex Bowman Dominates for 2nd Career Victory in Auto Club 400

2020 California NCS Alex Bowman Victory Lane RLP

(Photo: Randy Lanning)

A dominating performance at Auto Club Speedway by a Hendrick Motorsports driver isn’t a surprise — however, it wasn’t the driver most would expect. Alex Bowman dominated the Auto Club 400 on Sunday afternoon (March 1) en route to his second career NASCAR Cup Series victory. Bowman led 110 of the race’s 200 laps. He …

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Stewart Friesen, Brennan Poole Join Kyle Busch Bounty Hunt

2020 Daytona NGROTS Stewart Friesen Truck NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kevin Harvick‘s NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series bounty on Kyle Busch has exploded in popularity. Halmar Racing’s Stewart Friesen is the latest to announce his involvement in the bounty hunt, where Harvick’s plan will award $100,000 to the first full-time Cup Series driver to beat Kyle Busch in Truck Series competition. Busch won …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2020 Busch Clash

2019 Michigan I CUP Clint Bowyer helmet NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? With just six cars still running at the end of the 2020 Busch Crash — er, Clash — at Daytona International Speedway, it was Erik Jones getting by Ryan Newman with a little help from his friend Denny Hamlin to take the win and the bragging rights …

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Up to Speed: NASCAR Cup Drivers With Something to Prove in 2020

Matt DiBenedetto

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

A new racing season means new opportunities and new challenges.  Over the winter, NASCAR’s Cup Series saw its usual flurry of changes among drivers, teams and crews.  As a result of these changes, many drivers, rookies and veterans alike will be feeling the pressure to perform in 2020.  Whether measuring their success against other competitors …

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Toyota Teams Rocket Fast in Daytona Draft; Hendrick Motorsports Show Single-Car Strength

2020 Daytona NCS Denny Hamlin Draft NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Though the speed charts will show the Chevrolets of Ty Dillon and Bubba Wallace atop the two Daytona 500 practice sessions Saturday, the storylines were elsewhere in the Cup garage. Taking a page from the aggressive display of drafting put on by the Ford camp in Busch Clash qualifying, all six Toyota teams took to …

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Erik Jones Leads Joe Gibbs Racing Sweep in Busch Clash Practice

2020 Daytona NCS Erik Jones Car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Picking up right where they left off in Speedweeks a year ago, the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas posted the top four speeds of the lone practice for Sunday’s Busch Clash. Erik Jones, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch were joined by Ryan Blaney in the top five. All four JGR Toyotas broke 199.5 …

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2020 NASCAR Cup Series Preseason Power Rankings

2019HomesteadMENCSKyleBuschVictoryLaneCCK

(Credit: Christian Koelle, Frontstretch)

For the first time here at Frontstretch, our staff banded together to vote on who it thinks will be the top drivers of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season in a preseason power rankings format. Each participating staff member sent a 30-driver ranking before the beginning of the season, taking into account not only 2019 successes …

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2019 NASCAR Driver Reviews: Clint Bowyer

2019 Kansas 2 MENCS Clint Bowyer Car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Clint Bowyer’s 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season can be summed up in two words: It sucked. Wait, you may be thinking. How can that be? He made the second round of the playoffs. Yeah, and it was amazing he was even able to do that. After scoring two victories, nine top fives and 16 top …

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Stewart-Haas Racing Announces Crew Chief Promotion, Changes for 2020

2019 Indianapolis MENCS Daniel Suarez Car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Stewart-Haas Racing doesn’t just have a new driver joining its ranks in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020 — the team’s crew chief lineup will also look slightly different come February. The organization announced Wednesday, Dec. 4, that Mike Shiplett will follow Cole Custer to the Cup Series, acting as crew chief for the No. …

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The 12: NASCAR Power Rankings Bluegreen Vacations 500 Edition

2019 Phoenix MENCS Denny Hamlin Walk-Off NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It was do-or-die for Denny Hamlin at ISM Raceway last Sunday (Nov. 10), but the 38-year-old survived to claim a coveted spot in the Championship 4. Nearly a decade after his promising 2010 championship run and subsequent postseason collapse, can Hamlin finally find the keys to the championship trophy? Can Martin Truex Jr claim his …

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