Race Weekend Central

Closing NASCAR’s 7th Decade: The Top-12 Drivers – Including the Champ Who’ll Lead Us Into 2010

2009 closes out the first decade of the 21st century for NASCAR, and what a long, strange trip it’s been. Who would have thought back in 2000 Petty Enterprises would cease to exist nine years later – along with no Adam Petty to lead NASCAR’s first family into the next generation? Or that Dale Earnhardt …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Ford 400 at Homestead

After 36 points-paying events, nine months and 14,493 miles of racing, the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season is finally in the books. When the smoke cleared at Homestead, it was Jimmie Johnson winning his third consecutive championship, tying Cale Yarborough as the only drivers in history to accomplish that feat. Behind him, Carl Edwards finished …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 NASCAR Season Breakdown

The checkered flag has flown over the field at Homestead marking the end of a historic 2008 NASCAR season. We saw controversial and exciting finishes, scary crashes and a historic third consecutive championship for the dynasty that is Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. The season also featured three consistently …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix

The desert Southwest held a couple of different surprises for the racers this weekend. Rain and gale force winds threw a lot at the teams; but when all was said and done, it was status quo for the No. 48. Jimmie Johnson led the most laps and won the race at Phoenix handily, all but …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix

Very rarely do you see a former champion show so much admiration for another. But when Kurt Busch finished runner-up to points leader Jimmie Johnson this weekend at Phoenix, he admitted that the No. 48 team was “something special,” and told fans to tune in or come to watch NASCAR’s next big dynasty. It’s true …

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Running Their Mouth: 2008 Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix

This week, here’s a sneak peek at what a select few were thinking following the Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil at Phoenix International Raceway.

Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: How to Pick Your Team Wisely in NASCAR’s Penultimate Race

The penultimate race of the NASCAR season takes place this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. Unfortunately for our loyal readers, Bryan Davis Keith has been knocked out of commission by the tropical depression that is beating up the North Carolina coast tonight, so Mike has been left to enlighten the gaming world alone. Phoenix is …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Dickies 500 at Texas

History repeated itself for the third time in a row, as the winner at Atlanta in the fall headed to Texas the following week and won again. That Dickies 500 victory this week by Carl Edwards stole a couple of first-place votes away from Jimmie Johnson, but didn’t move him out of the top spot …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 Dickies 500 at Texas Edition

Last week I said in this column that Jimmie Johnson all but had his third consecutive title locked up; Don’t tell Carl Edwards, who is trying his best to make sure that doesn’t happen. Chasing down the points leaders in both the Nationwide Series and Sprint Cup, Edwards is riding back-to-back victories on the Cup …

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Fanning the Flames: NASCAR Driver/Crew Chief Duos, Pit-Road “Favors” & Ford Martin Rocks!

Seven down, three to go. With that in mind, I figure it’s time for another Chase stat update that I enjoy so much (if you don’t, skip down to paragraph four). It became apparent to me after two weeks that Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson had each recorded top-five finishes in the first two …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta

Carl Edwards made good on the promise that he showed at the beginning of the spring Atlanta race by taking the win this past weekend. Overshadowed by that performance, however, was a banzai run by Jimmie Johnson from 11th to second in the last eight laps of the race. That strength solidified the points leader’s …

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