Race Weekend Central

4 Burning Questions: Are People Ready for a Double-Departure in Homestead?

Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. share a laugh, Matthew T. Thacker/NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Are People Ready for Double-Departure from Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Postrace Sunday could be a busy, hectic time for reporters, fans and even emotions. Not only could we have a champion and a race winner each celebrating, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth could also be two separate stories needing a follow-up. …

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Friday Faceoff: Who Gets It Done at Homestead?

2016 Kansas I CUP Martin Truex Jr Dale Earnhardt Jr Brett Moist NKP

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

After the dust cleared at Phoenix, it will be Martin Truex, Jr., Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski duking it out for the championship at Homestead.  Who takes home the trophy? Amy Henderson: Truex is ready to close it out and has the car to do it.  And if anyone else does win it, …

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Did You Notice?: An Entire Generation Of NASCAR Bids Farewell

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series, Daytona

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Did You Notice? … How quickly NASCAR has undergone a changing of the guard? Two more of the sport’s full-time drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, bid farewell to the sport this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. They’ll be the cherries on top of what has been a mountainous shift towards NASCAR’s youth movement. Here’s a …

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The Frontstretch 5: Thoughts at the White Flag

2017 Kansas II CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr helmet Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

1. One more time around It doesn’t seem so terribly long ago that we were a few days out from Daytona, with a whole year of promise ahead. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t terribly far in the past, but suddenly, irreversibly, the days have grown cold as autumn blends into winter with …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered by DraftKings: Can-Am 500 Preview

2017 Phoenix I CUP Brad Keselowski car NIgel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

DraftKings’ daily fantasy NASCAR heads to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for the Can-Am 500. This race marks the final event of the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The green flag flies Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Here are eight drivers to keep an eye on this …

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Beside The Rising Tide: Two Day Only!

2017 Kansas II CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr John K Harrelson NKP

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

And then, there were two. A few rambling thoughts as NASCAR heads off for Phoenix…. 33% Off This Weekend Only! After trial runs at Pocono, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, and Martinsville, NASCAR plans to schedule more two-day race weekends starting next season. They prefer that we all refer to those shortened race weekends as “enhanced” but …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: The Closer Returns Edition

9-10 September, 2016, Richmond, Virginia USA Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers © 2016, Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

While what happened in the final laps of Sunday’s race at Texas was plenty interesting, the actual race to make the championship four got a bit less interesting heading into the next and final elimination race at Phoenix this coming Sunday. While anything can happen in racing, the chances of high drama in Arizona will …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kevin Harvick Breaks Script and Wins an Intermediate Race in 2017

2017 Texas II CUP Kevin Harvick woohoo Jonathan Ferrey getty images for texas motor speedway

(Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Who’s in the headline – For the first time, in what has seemed to be the history of racing, a Ford passed a Toyota on track with pure speed. That is fake news, but it has seemed that way for much of the season. On Sunday, Kevin Harvick chased down Martin Truex Jr and passed him …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered by DraftKings: AAA Texas 500 Preview

2017 Texas I CUP Jimmie Johnson checkered flag Matthre T Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

DraftKings’ daily fantasy NASCAR heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the AAA Texas 500. This race marks the second event of the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The green flag flies Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Here are eight drivers to keep an eye …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not In NASCAR: Elimination and Advancement Edition

2017 Kansas II CUP Martin Truex Jr woohoo John K Harrelson NKP

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

Maybe Sunday’s race at Kansas is an example of why NASCAR shifted its schedule to make this an elimination race. The normally snoozish 1.5-miler at least had the added drama of seeing drivers eliminated, or advancing, into the final eight of the playoff rounds. Unfortunately, NASCAR can’t do this at all of its 1.5-milers, but …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After The 2017 Hollywood Casino 400

Martin Truex Jr. Kansas Celebration

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Chris Buescher hasn’t had a memorable season. The second-year driver followed up a surprise victory at Pocono Raceway and playoff berth last year with a 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season that has seen just three top-10 finishes and a 25th-place position in points entering this weekend. …

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Double Take: As One Plate King Retires, Another Steps Up

Brad Keselowski Restart Talladega

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/ NKP)

For a while there last Sunday (Oct. 15) at Talladega Superspeedway, it looked like Dale Earnhardt Jr. was going to do it. In his final start at his best track, in front of the strongest crowd in years at the 2.66-mile superspeedway in Talladega, Ala., Earnhardt dodged wreck after wreck, barely unscathed but ready for …

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