Race Weekend Central

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Does Etiquette Matter Edition

2017 Fontana CUP Kyle larson Jamie McMurray Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

This season’s low down force package may have had its best results yet with Sunday afternoon’s race at Richmond. There were multiple grooves early in the race and yes, tires were a big factor, too. So when what turned out to the final caution came out, some teams gambled and stayed out while others took …

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Beside the Rising Tide: New Kid in Town

2007-Charlotte-II-CUP-Dale-Earnhardt-Jr-Nigel-Kinrade-Autostock

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/Autostock)

I think most NASCAR fans were stunned last week when Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement from Cup Series racing at the conclusion of this season. In many cases, those fans might have felt a degree of relief mixed with surprise, as it appears Earnhardt will indeed leave the sport on his own terms. It was …

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5 Points to Ponder: NASCAR’s Circle of Life

2017 Richmond I CUP Ricky Stenhouse Jr Ryan Blaney racing Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

ONE: Talladega Next up on the Sprint Cup schedule is the first of two trips to the treacherous high banks of Talladega Superspeedway. This will be Cup race number 96 at the storied venue, a streak that runs all the way back to September of 1969 and a race won by Richard Brickhouse — the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Logano Pulls Richmond Robbery From Keselowski, Kenseth

2017 Richmond I CUP Joey Logano confetti Rusty JArrett NKP

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett / NKP)

Who’s In The Headline It took pit strategy to get Joey Logano up front at Richmond International Raceway, but no one on the No. 22 team is complaining this Monday morning. Not when you have a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trophy on your mantle. After a late caution, while restarting behind cars that stayed on …

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Brian France Excited About New Wave of NASCAR Driver Talent

2017 xfinity richmond zach catanzareti brian france

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Chairman and CEO of NASCAR Brian France spoke to the media before Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. France, who has only made a couple appearances at the track in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, commented on the new crop of drivers and how new entitlement sponsor Monster Energy is …

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NASCAR 101: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Hendrick Motorsports Legacy

2016 Martinsville I CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr Matthre T Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T Thacker/NKP)

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the end of the 2017 season last Tuesday (April 25), it was no surprise it came with Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick by his side, since that’s the team for which Earnhardt currently drives in the Cup Series. However, here’s …

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4 Burning Questions: Is There Added Distraction for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Richmond?

2017 bristol cup zach catanzareti dale earnhardt jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Is There Added Distraction for Earnhardt in Richmond? For the second straight season, Richmond International Raceway will be the first race of someone’s last season. Except this time, Dale Earnhardt Jr. already has some racing under his belt in 2017. For 2016, the historic short track saw Tony Stewart come back to the Monster Energy NASCAR …

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Friday Face-off: Who’ll Fill These Ginormous Shoes?

2017 Atlanta CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr car NIgel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced this week that he’ll retire at the end of the 2017 season, the fourth very popular driver to step away since 2015.  What impact will his retirement have on the sport as a whole, and is there a driver out there who can have the impact he’s had on and off …

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Eyes on XFINITY: Remember When Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dominated the XFINITY Series?

2016 Richmond I NXS Dale Earnhardt, Jr. car Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russel LaBounty/NKP)

On Tuesday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he would be retiring from full-time competition in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series following the 2017 season.  Although he may go down as the Most Popular Driver in NASCAR history, a Cup Series title has eluded him throughout his career. Think back, however, to the late 90s, when Earnhardt …

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2017 Frontstretch Podcast- Episode 8: Dale Jr.’s Legacy

2017 hendrick motorsports cup zach catanzareti dale earnhardt jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Episode 8: Dale Jr.’s Legacy with Matt Stallknecht, Tom Bowles, and Kevin Rutherford   In this special edition of the Frontstretch podcast, the FS crew breaks down the implications of Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s impending retirement, evaluating its impact on the sport and what an Earnhardt-less future will look like going forward.

Did You Notice?: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Retires On His Terms, Goes His Own Way

2017 hendrick motorsports cup zach catanzareti dale earnhardt jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Did You Notice? … Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring at the end of the season? Are you surprised? I think we’re all lying if we say we aren’t. The move, while expected to come in the next couple of years, not this one, was kept nicely under wraps. A well-orchestrated press conference Tuesday afternoon was not sniffed …

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The Frontstretch 5: Reasons to Thank Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a Career Well Spent

2017 Atlanta CUP DAle Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

1. He goes out on his own terms You’d expect nothing less, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the person who ultimately made the call about when to step aside.  He could have done it six months ago, and some will argue that maybe he should have, but that wouldn’t really have been his decision. It …

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