Race Weekend Central

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Aric Almirola Breezes Through Bristol

Rookies in the Starting Lineup (Due to inclement weather, the qualifying order was determined by 2007 owner points): Sam Hornish Jr. (seventh), Aric Almirola (16th), Regan Smith (17th), Dario Franchitti (26th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (eighth), Smith (26th), Hornish (29th), Franchitti (36th) Rookie of the Race: Almirola. Mark Martin was not piloting the No. 8 Chevy …

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Bubble Breakdown: Brian Vickers Digs Out of a Hole, While Jamie McMurray Digs Himself 1

When the checkered flag fell at Bristol Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon, it ended more than just the Food City 500. For some, it concluded a short-term “mulligan” they’ve utilized for over a month. For the first five races this season, the Top 35 was based on 2007 owner points; that loophole allowed rookies like Dario …

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Sprint Cup Rookie Report: From Dario Franchitti to Patrick Carpentier, Vegas is Vicious to Rookies

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Patrick Carpentier (12th), Sam Hornish Jr. (20th), Regan Smith (28th), Dario Franchitti (42nd) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Franchitti (33rd), Smith (34th), Carpentier (40th), Hornish (41st) Rookie of the Race: Nobody. I have decided that I am not going to award the “Rookie of the Race” to any driver unless one of them …

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Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Rain, Sam Hornish Jr.’s Hard Hit Ruin Rookie Results at California

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: (Due to inclement weather, the qualifying order was determined by 2007 owner points) Sam Hornish Jr. (seventh), Regan Smith (17th), Dario Franchitti (26th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Smith (31st), Franchitti (32nd), Hornish (43rd) Rookie of the Race: Absolutely Nobody. There is no way that I can assign this category to a freshman …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 Daytona 500 Edition

For three months the anticipation built up in preparation for the 50th running of the Daytona 500, all the way up until the green flag flew over 43 of the world’s best drivers to kick off the 2008 season Sunday afternoon. The expected Hendrick Motorsports dominance was overshadowed by the success of Joe Gibbs Racing …

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Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Sam Hornish Jr. is Heroic at Daytona

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Sam Hornish Jr. (19th), Regan Smith (29th), Dario Franchitti (40th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Hornish (15th), Franchitti (33rd), Smith (37th) Rookie of the Race: Sam Hornish Jr. Most of the NASCAR world will say that Penske Racing had its most successful run in team history during Sunday’s Daytona 500, based on the …

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Bubble Breakdown: Brian Vickers Shines While Digging Out of Top-35 Hole… Wood Brothers Dig Themselves in Deeper

All week, it looked like a battle between Joe Gibbs’s Toyotas and Rick Hendrick’s Chevrolets at this year’s Daytona 500; but with a last-lap surprise, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Roger Penske came out of nowhere to score a major 1-2 upset in the Great American Race for Dodge. There were a lot of surprises when …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 NASCAR Preview Edition

The last time we were in Florida for a NASCAR race, Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team were basking in a sea of confetti after winning their second consecutive Sprint Cup title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. A lot has changed since that historic day in November; there’s been a powerful addition to the Toyota camp, …

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