Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2009 Heluva! Good Sour Cream Dips at the Glen

Editor’s Note: Matt McLaughlin is on vacation through the race at Michigan. For the next two weeks, Managing Editor Tom Bowles fills in. The Key Moment: Tony Stewart got the jump on Kyle Busch on a double-file restart with 23 laps to go. After that, it was his race to lose unless the No. 14 …

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Bubble Breakdown: Scott Speed Slowly Chipping Away at John Andretti’s Lead

I am gonna start this week’s column with a bit of advice, as I know many of you attend races and even camp at the track like I do. So if you are camping at the race, and they come over the PA system and warn of impending severe thunderstorms, go take down your 30-foot …

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Voices From the Heartland: Veto the Bill to Change NASCAR Rules

Yesterday on this very front page, my esteemed colleague, Vito Pugliese (and I hope I spelled that right, ‘cuz I’m pretty sure he has some pretty heavy “family” ties) seemed to have “a problem with three rules in particular” that defined the outcome of recent races. They were (in order): NASCAR’s pit-road speed limit, the …

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Fanning the Flames: No to the Camaro, Stremme v. Gordon & ESPN’s Twittergate

Some involved questions this week, so let’s jump right in. Small-engine repair tips are welcome as well. Q: I read about the Nationwide Series needing an “identity” every week. It’s a common theme on this site and others. My question is how can that series do so if guys like Mike Bliss, a Nationwide-only driver, …

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Did You Notice? Vickers Vexed by Pit Road, the 5-Lap Farce & Nationwide’s Double Standard?

Did You Notice? How much pit-road mistakes have played into the momentum of teams this season? It started in Daytona, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed his pit en route to what’s been a disastrous season. Between Juan Pablo Montoya’s speeding penalty causing controversy at Indy, failed gas gambles like Michigan’s 1-2 stumble by both Jimmie …

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5 Points to Ponder: 2009 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Edition

Each week, Frontstretch hosts a live blog during the Sprint Cup race. It’s a great way for readers to interact alongside their favorite Frontstretch writers with videos, live commentary, and live polls. Each of this week’s “Five Points” were polls taken during the Pennsylvania 500 live blog. ONE: Should Iowa Speedway get a Cup Series …

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Bubble Breakdown: Tempers Flare Between David Stremme & Robby Gordon at Pocono

Rain forced the postponement of Sunday’s race until Monday afternoon (Aug. 3), meaning there will be no bubble chatter this week as I had to work and therefore wasn’t able to listen to the in-car radio communications during the event. I tried to get out early, but when I asked my boss if I could …

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Bubble Driver Review: David Ragan Biggest Disappointment Amongst This Group in 2009

Well, it’s that time of year where we look back at the first half of 2009 and grade our bubble teams. Keep in mind this report card is aimed at a specific subset inside the Cup garage – those in and around the cutoff for the 35 locked-in spots the series gives out each week …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Daytona Summer Speedweeks Edition

The July 4 bash at Daytona International Speedway literally ended with a bang, as Kyle Busch’s attempt at blocking Tony Stewart from taking the race win sent him bouncing off the frontstretch wall. While the finish stole the headlines, the plights of Chase-contending drivers permeated other post-race storylines. Drivers Juan Pablo Montoya, Kasey Kahne, Mark …

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Bubble Breakdown: Part-Time Schedule Yielding Big-Time Results for Furniture Row Racing

Rain washed out qualifying for Daytona last Friday, meaning the field was set by owner points. This was not good news for our bubble drivers, as the teams outside the Top 35 not only had to start at the rear of the field – they also had to do so in their qualifying setup, as …

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