Race Weekend Central

2-Headed Monster: Is Richard Childress Racing Wrong to Dismiss Daniel Hemric?

2019 Mencs Sonoma Daniel Hemric

Photo: Danny Peters

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series silly season has been pretty steady over the last couple of weeks. Last week, it was announced that Matt DiBenedetto will drive the No. 21 Ford in 2020, and this week it was announced that Daniel Hemric will not return to the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet next …

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Did You Notice?: Daniel Hemric Never Won? Plus… Contact Leaves NASCAR In Critical Condition

2019 Talladega Cup Daniel Hemric Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? …. Daniel Hemric never won a NASCAR race? That’s the tough answer for critics crying foul over Richard Childress Racing’s decision Tuesday (Sept. 17) to release Hemric from his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series ride at the end of the season. That’s a hard pill to swallow for a personable, energetic 28-year-old driver …

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Richard Childress Racing, Daniel Hemric Parting Ways After 2019

2019 Mencs Bristol Daniel Hemric Face Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Richard Childress Racing announced it will release Daniel Hemric at the end of 2019, per a team statement. 2019 is Hemric’s first full-time season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. He has scored one top five, two top 10s and a best finish of third at Chicagoland Speedway. The team stated it exercised its …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Racing’s Hallowed Mausoleum

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the great cathedrals of auto racing, with over a century’s worth of events run there. One of the overlooked aspects of cathedrals, aside from their beauty, is that they are a little creepy at the same time. In the history of IMS, many racers have died while competing, making …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Blast From the Past

2019 Darlington throwback Cup weekend pack racing Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Tradition. That’s the theme of the Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway with the Bojangles Southern 500, and despite a start at 10 p.m. ET and not finishing until around 2 a.m., the full race distance was run before Hurricane Dorian could arrive. That commitment, whether in the stands or on the couch at home, deserves …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: It’s Clobberin’ Time

2019 Watkins Glen Mencs Kyle Busch Wreck Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The theme of this weekend’s NASCAR action was “payback.” It started with the Gander Outdoors Truck Series on Thursday night (August 1) in the Eldora Dirt Derby, as Tyler Dippel got into Ben Rhodes after the checkered flag in return for being shoved into the wall in the final laps. Then in the Xfinity Series …

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5 Points to Ponder: NASCAR’s Rookie Driver Disappearing Act and Cleaning Up the Playoff Bubble

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Can Kevin Harvick’s Win Kickstart Stewart-Haas Racing? There’s no doubt Kevin Harvick’s Sunday victory (July 21) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway lifts a monkey off the back of Stewart-Haas Racing. After eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories in 2018, a career high, it took Harvick 20 races to win his first. If nothing …

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Up to Speed: Erik Jones Survives Chaotic New Hampshire Race

2019 Loudon Mencs Erik Jones Car Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Erik Jones ran one of his best races of the season on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  The final results will show that Jones started fourth, placed second in the first stage and came home third, equaling his best finish of 2019. But really, that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Jones had to …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Midwestern Mayhem

2019 Chicagoland Mencs Alex Bowman Victory Celebration Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series headed to Joliet, Illinois this weekend, which houses a track calling itself Chicagoland Speedway, despite being about 45 minutes to an hour from downtown Chicago. The start of the Camping World 400 was delayed for several hours due to rain, and high winds blew the covers off several cars, …

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Austin Dillon Nabs Provisional Pole for Camping World 400

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: NKP)

Richard Childress Racing took two of the top three spots in qualifying Saturday (June 29) for Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camping World 400. Austin Dillon posted a fast lap time of 30.636 seconds at 176.263 mph to win the Busch pole award. This is Dillon’s third pole of the year and first at …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Yellow Light

2019 Michigan I Cup Kurt Busch Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series was off this past weekend, leaving the Xfinity Series and Gander Outdoors Truck Series to contest an eventful Sunday doubleheader following a rainout on Saturday night at Iowa Speedway. So we’ll look at how Cup drivers are doing with their new teams for the trends worth tracking this week. …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2019 FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan

2019 Michigan I Cup Joey Logano Burnout Nkp

The Headline(s): Just like Martinsville, a Penske Ford proved all but impassable at the front of the field, though this time it was Joey Logano. And just like Richmond, though both Martin Truex, Jr. and Kurt Busch were able to catch the leader in the closing laps, none was able to get alongside the No. …

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