Race Weekend Central

Bubble Breakdown: David Reutimann Muscles His Way Into the Top 35… Again

The big news for the week from bubble land involved the No. 70 Haas Automation Chevrolet previously driven by Jeremy Mayfield. On Monday, Haas CNC Racing announced that the team and Mayfield agreed to part ways after the No. 70 car fell out of the Top 35 in owner points. According to team General Manager Joe …

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Top 10 NASCAR-Related Deductions Submitted to the IRS

10. $450 for new shorts and driver’s suit, submitted by Michael McDowell. (Uniforms and Work Clothes) 9. $1,500 for the complete set of Deep Thoughts works by Jack Handey, submitted by Brian France. (Work-Related Educational Expenses) 8. $750 for resumes from FedEx/Kinko’s, submitted by Jeremy Mayfield. (Moving Expenses) 7. $5,000 submitted by Chip Ganassi for …

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Did You Notice? Polesitters Falling, Professionalism Rising & NASCAR Fans Simply Have No Shame?

Did You Notice? Well, you couldn’t have noticed this one. But I was absolutely appalled by an incident I saw in the NASCAR garage Friday at Texas. Kyle Petty – already coming off a rather traumatic week in his driving career – was talking animatedly on a cellphone while walking down by his trailer. All …

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Bubble Breakdown: Jeremy Mayfield Out, Sam Hornish Jr. Back Inside Top-35 Safety Net

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series made its annual spring journey to the Lone Star State for the running of the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway this past weekend. They tell me that everything is bigger in Texas; and apparently, this adage can be applied to the problems of some bubble teams. There’s bickering at …

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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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Bubble Breakdown: Previewing NASCAR’s 2008 Battle for the Top 35, Part II

Being in the Top 35 for the first five NASCAR races this season is a great luxury for those lucky enough to secure a spot at the conclusion of 2007. But after that, each team has to perform well enough to stay there in order to keep enjoying those benefits. Last week in this column, …

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2008 Season Preview: Which NASCAR Driver’s on the Hot Seat This Year?

As always, 2008 will be a year when several NASCAR driver contracts are on the verge of expiring. So, which driver starts the season on the hottest seat?

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not: Outside the Chase After the 2007 Checker Auto Parts 500k at Phoenix

With just two races left on the Nextel Cup slate, the open roads of the great Southwest and Phoenix appeared the perfect place for a change of pace. After all, the subset of three dozen drivers outside the Chase had won just once during the playoffs, and you’d like to think the odds were in …

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Fanning the Flames: Talkin’ NASCAR Safety, Driver Shuffles & Engine Troubles

Six down, four to go and I’m still not sold on this being but a two-man race to NASCAR’s Cup title. Although Clint Bowyer continues to put up a valiant effort, seemingly running in quicksand at times, it seems this week’s Atlanta race will determine his fate. If trouble finds Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson …

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Full Throttle: Jeremy Mayfield’s Final Shot Could Be Jeff Green’s Last Hurrah

One week ago, it looked like Jeremy Mayfield‘s Nextel Cup career was nearing a difficult, painful ending. But just when you thought the two-time Chaser was down and out for good… he’s been given one final chance. It was announced on Monday that Mayfield is going to drive the No. 66 car for Haas CNC …

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