Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kyle Busch Triumphs In Texas For First 2018 Win

2018 kyle busch Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who’s in the headline After three seconds and a third in the last four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, Kyle Busch finally put it all together Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Holding off a hard-charging Kevin Harvick down the stretch, Busch became the fifth MENCS winner of 2018 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. …

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The Big 6: Questions After the 2018 O’Reilly Auto Parts 500

2018 Cup Texas Jamie McMurray Car Rick Lunkenheimer

(Photo: Rick Lunkenheimer)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? With finishes of 16th, 19th, 36th, 26th, 17th and 26th to open the season ahead of last weekend’s Easter break, Jamie McMurray was looking rough nearly a quarter of the way through NASCAR’s regular season. Sitting 26th in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points with little sign of …

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Up to Speed: Disparate Results for Chip Ganassi Racing

2018 jamie mcmurray Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Up until Sunday’s Monster Energy Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, Jamie McMurray’s 2018 season had been one disastrous race after another. His teammate, Kyle Larson, had enjoyed mostly good results this year, managing to avoid major trouble in any of the first six races. But in the Lone Star State, Chip Ganassi’s drivers found …

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Friday Faceoff: What’s Been the Biggest Surprise of 2018?

2018 Las Vegas I CUP Aric Almirola John K Harrelson NKP

(Photo: John K. Harrelson / NKP)

Clint Bowyer’s win at Martinsville Speedway snapped a 190-race winless streak. Who is most likely to be the next driver who has already won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series to snap his long winless drought? Christian Koelle: Paul Menard is really impressing me over at Wood Brothers Racing. That car has some speed, and …

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The Frontstretch 5: NASCAR Teams Who Need a Turnaround in 2018

2018 cup martinsville zach catanzareti ricky stenhouse jr

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Hendrick Motorsports Just a few weeks ago, it was easy to explain the organization’s struggles: it was too early to tell; Chevrolet is behind the curve – which may still be the case; the team has two new drivers. And the thing is, all of that is completely true. But looking at the big picture, …

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NASCAR 101: 10 Longest Streaks Between Cup Wins

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Clint Bowyer‘s 190-race winless streak was nothing to shake a stick at. At the time, it was the second-longest losing run in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series among active drivers who had won previously, bested (or, uh, whatever the negative-connotation version of that word is) by Paul Menard, whose streak out of Victory Lane …

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Did You Notice?: NASCAR’s Blowout Problem

2018 cup auto club Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing, Toyota Camry Bass Pro Shops/5-hour ENERGY celebrates his win with a burnout

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … NASCAR winners aren’t just squeaking into Victory Lane — they’re rolling over their competition. Three of five races in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season have been won by 2.5 seconds or more. Martin Truex Jr. coasted to the win at Auto Club Speedway by nearly 12 seconds Sunday; only 10 …

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4 Burning Questions: Will Anybody Stop Kevin Harvick?

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series TicketGuardian 500 ISM Raceway, Phoenix, AZ USA Friday 9 March 2018 Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Fusion Jimmy John's World Copyright: Matthew T. Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Can Kyle Larson stop Kevin Harvick from winning four in a row? Kevin Harvick enters Auto Club Speedway this weekend chasing history. Jimmie Johnson was the last driver to win four Cup Series races in a row, winning four during the 2007 playoffs en-route to his second Cup championship. History records that Richard Petty won …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Racing in Kevin Harvick’s Playground

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series TicketGuardian 500 ISM Raceway, Phoenix, AZ USA Sunday 11 March 2018 Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Fusion Jimmy John's and Joey Logano, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Pennzoil World Copyright: Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Kyle Busch won the opening stage of the TicketGuardian 500 and led a race-high 128 laps at the newly-renamed ISM Raceway (formerly Phoenix International Raceway), but Kevin Harvick earned his third straight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory, and ninth overall at the track, which tied him with Mark Martin at 40 MENCS wins. Harvick …

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5 Points to Ponder: Vets, Rookies & the Power of Twitter

2017 Kansas I CUP Jamie McMurray Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

ONE: Harvick’s Not the Champ Just Yet Four weeks into the new season and you’d be forgiven for thinking this is the Monster Energy NASCAR Harvick Cup, especially given dominance of the Stewart-Haas veteran who has won three straight following the season-opening Daytona 500. Making matters more concerning for the chasing pack, Kevin Harvick has …

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Chip Ganassi Racing Takes 1st & 2nd in Cup ISM Practice

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC USA Friday 6 October 2017 Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Credit One Bank Chevrolet SS World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Kyle Larson was fastest during the only Friday (March 9) Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at ISM Raceway. Larson beat out teammate Jamie McMurray on his final lap as the red flag was displayed at the end of the session with a 138.281 mph lap, just .098 seconds faster than the lap McMurray turned. …

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Entry List: DC Solar 200

2017 Phoenix II NXS Brennan Poole pack racing Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

40 cars have entered the XFINITY Series DC Solar 200 at ISM Raceway. With 40 cars entered this week, all of them will qualify for the race. Jamie McMurray returns to the XFINITY Series driving the No. 42 DC Solar Chip Ganassi Racing Chevy. McMurray has not made a start since 2013 driving for JR …

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