Race Weekend Central

Beyond the Cockpit: David Ragan Rises Again

Drivers like Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson have had the glorious opportunity to stay put in their major-league race teams throughout the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series careers to date.  Men like David Ragan, however, have been tested as he started on top with Roush Fenway Racing in 2007 before losing his ride following the 2011 …

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BK Racing Rises As Daytona’s Underdog Story

Four years ago, BK Racing came to Daytona as a two-car team that struggled to get out of its own way. It ran a total of nine laps in the Duels (combined), made the race through provisionals and then promptly struggled to hang onto the lead draft. A comedy of errors on pit road and …

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David Ragan, Matt DiBenedetto to Drive for BK Racing in 2016

2015 Matt Dibenedetto Bank Of America 500 Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

Following his first full-time season in NASCAR’s premier division, Matt DiBenedetto will be back with BK Racing in 2016. Returning to the wheel of the No. 83 Toyota Camry, the 24-year-old will be paired with crew chief Gene Nead, who sat atop the pit box for DiBenedetto for eight races last year. Along with the …

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2015 NASCAR Rewind: David Ragan

2014 Watkins Glen Cup David Ragan Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)

In many ways, the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season was a microcosm of David Ragan’s entire career. It was a year filled with great opportunities, even flashes of brilliance, but ultimately ended with disappointment and uncertainty. To be sure, the now 30-year-old Ragan has always been a tough cookie to crack in NASCAR. He has …

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Dakoda Armstrong, Richard Petty Motorsports Part Ways

2015 Watkins Glen Nxs Dakoda Armstrong Car Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography © 2015)

There’s one less driver in the running for the No. 9 Sprint Cup ride: Dakoda Armstrong and Richard Petty Motorsports have officially parted ways. The Indiana native ran two full seasons for the King in the Xfinity Series, earning one pole and four top 10s. His best finish in those two seasons was a sixth …

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Number Crunching: NASCAR Fantasy 2015 Closes Out At Homestead

Harvick, Kevin 2015 Ford Ecoboost 400 Practice

(Photo by Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images)

This is it everyone, the last race of the season. The chase for the Sprint Cup has been whittled down to four contenders who each have an interesting story to tell in the 2015 season. Kevin Harvick is the reigning champion and is trying to make it two in a row. Kyle Busch, who missed …

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Joey Logano Fastest in 2015 Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead Happy Hour

Logano, Joey 2015 Ford Ecoboost 400 Practice Homestead

(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images)

On Saturday afternoon, the Sprint Cup Series finally managed to get in a full practice session at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After rains shortened Xfinity Series qualifying to only two rounds, track crews worked hard to get the surface back into racing shape. By 1 p.m., the track was ready to go for 50 minutes of practice. …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix

Earnhardt, Dale Jr. 2015 Quicken Loans 500 Victory Lane Phoenix

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Who’s in the headline – Amazingly it is Dale Earnhardt Jr. this week, thanks to a fortunate pit stall location and an unimpressive bit of driving by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Gase. The latter two drivers got together during a round of green flag stops and Earnhardt was pitted just before the start/finish line …

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Sam Hornish Jr. Will Not Return to Richard Petty Motorsports in 2016

2015 Richmond Ii Cup Sam Hornish Jr Closer Vertical Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography, 2015)

As Sam Hornish Jr. indicated to Frontstretch at Dover International Speedway in October, he will not be returning to Richard Petty Motorsports in 2016. The three-time IndyCar Series champion joined the organization this season, piloting the No. 9 car after a stint in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the greater portion of four years. At Dover, …

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Number Crunching: 2015 Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville

Joey Logano 2015 Martinsville Cup Qualifying Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

The drivers roll into Martinsville Speedway this week for the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500. That is 500 laps of this half-mile paperclip-shaped track, which means 250 lap leader fantasy points available in NASCAR Fantasy Live. The laps led points are what we need to focus on this week, and they will be the largest …

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Tweet ‘N’ Greet: Kasey Kahne Becomes Newest Father in NASCAR

2015 Richmond Ii Cup Kasey Kahne Smile Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

I officially became a dad at 1:11 AM to Tanner Lee Kahne. Mom and tanner are doing great. On no sleep but we can't put this little guy down — Kasey Kahne (@kaseykahne) October 13, 2015 Kasey Kahne became the newest father in the world of NASCAR on Tuesday. Kahne shared the news on his …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Scheduling Vegas and David Ragan?

2015 David Ragan Bank Of America 500 Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Joey Logano‘s hot rod was flat out fast on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Bank of America 500. The No. 22 Shell/Penzoil Ford Fusion now sits atop the points standings in the Chase and is locked into the Eliminator Round. It’s only the first race of this round of the postseason, but already drivers 10 …

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