Race Weekend Central

NASCAR 101: Analyzing NASCAR’s First-Time Winner Count in 2020 So Far

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Last weekend was quite the weekend for first-timers, as the four NASCAR races at Kentucky Speedway saw two first-time winners in their respective series, while another driver won his first oval race in the sport (followed promptly by his second). It started Thursday night, when Austin Cindric, after wins on road courses in the Xfinity …

Read more

Did You Notice?: That Summertime NASCAR Spark At Stewart-Haas Racing?

2017 Kansas I Cup Tony Stewart Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … How quickly Stewart-Haas Racing has gotten its act together this summer? While Kevin Harvick has been a title contender all season long in the NASCAR Cup Series, his trio of teammates spent the first half of 2020 mired in midpack. Here’s where all four drivers stood through the Martinsville Speedway race June …

Read more

Power Rankings: 4-Wide for the Win Edition

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The folks at NASCAR got very lucky this weekend with an epic finish that was great enough to get the fans to forget that the first 390 miles were a snoozefest of clean air being king after restarts at Kentucky Speedway. The late, great Dan Gurney used to preach about the best racing coming with …

Read more

Frontstretch Podcast: Lackluster Racing in Kentucky, Michael McDowell Chats Career Year

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Subscribe: iTunes In this week’s edition of the Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff discuss the lackluster racing at Kentucky Speedway across the top three national touring series, even though the Cup Series race had an incredible finish.  Cole Custer clinched a playoff spot by making a four-wide pass on Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Ryan Blaney on …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Cole Custer Shakes Up Rookie, Playoff Races

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. Cole Custer Pulls a “Where Did He Come From?” in More Ways Than One As Quicksilver said in The Avengers in his one truly memorable line, “bet you didn’t see that coming.” By that, I mean Cole Custer making his thrilling late charge to win his first NASCAR Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway. …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: Kentucky Action Substandard Until Lap 265

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Guess what? We made it through a NASCAR Cup Series race for the first time in a month without a weather delay. Makes me happy. However, what we ended up with was a very idiosyncratic race. The Quaker State 400 Sponsored By Walmart will likely always be remembered for the final two laps. Cole Custer …

Read more

Stock Car Scoop: Cole Custer Wins Kentucky, Sheldon Creed Takes Truck Race

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

There was a surprise rookie winner in the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday (June 12) Who stole a win from his teammate at Kentucky? Find out in the latest Stock Car Scoop. Frontstretch‘s newest podcast focused on the motorsports news of the week also takes a look at another first-time winner, this time in the …

Read more

Entry List: All-Star Race

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

On Monday morning (July 13), the NASCAR Cup Series’ entry list for the first ever All-Star Race hosted by Bristol Motor Speedway, scheduled for Wednesday, July 13, was released. There are 16 drivers from seven different teams represented so far in the race of winners. Drivers eligible for this year’s event include 2019-20 race winners, …

Read more

NASCAR Stat Sheet: Surprises in Kentucky

Nascar 2020: Xfinity Series Alsco 300 July 10

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kentucky Speedway hosted four NASCAR national touring series races this weekend, and, it was, uh, something. Overall, not a good weekend on the racetrack. The current Cup Series aerodynamic package — high downforce, low horsepower — is frustrating, the Xfinity Series, which has produced great racing this season couldn’t live up to its own standards …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2020 Quaker State 400 at Kentucky

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Headline(s): A relatively tame race ended in a chaotic final two laps, a four-wide battle for the lead and a Cup Series triumph for rookie Cole Custer, as NASCAR concluded its four-race stretch (five, including the ARCA Menards Series) over four days in the Bluegrass State. One of the wildest late-lap battles for the …

Read more

Up to Speed: Does a Great Finish Save a Bad Race?

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

For the second season in a row, Kentucky Speedway produced a thrilling finish to its annual Cup Series race.  Last year was the battle of the Busch brothers, a side by side battle between Kurt and Kyle that went all the way to the checkered flag before Kurt emerged victorious.  This year’s finish included a …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2020 Quaker State 400

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? Cole Custer showed he had the chops to do what it took to win at the Cup level. For Custer, equipment has never been an issue, but his mostly lackluster start to the year raised questions. He put those to rest with an aggressive move to …

Read more