Race Weekend Central

Power Rankings: Hotlanta Edition

2020AtlantaNCSKevinHarvickCheckersNASCARMedia

(Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

One thing we can say about last Sunday’s (June 7) race at Atlanta Motor Speedway is that it will be most remembered for what happened during pre-race. But it would have been impossible to create a race more memorable than the words and imagery we saw from NASCAR over the weekend. While I have always …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: NASCAR Stands Up for Racial Equality on FOX

2020 Atlanta NCS Moment of Listening NASCAR Media

(Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

As all of you are aware, it’s been a rather tough couple of weeks here in the United States. In addition to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the country has been rocked by protests against police brutality and racism. NASCAR has generally stayed away from these issues in the past, largely due to the fact that …

Read more

The Big Six: Questions Answered After the 2020 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

2020AtlantaNCSDarrellWallaceJrProtestNASCARMedia

(Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

Who… should you be talking about after the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500? Kevin Harvick won his first NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2001. The triumph came just weeks after being called into the Cup Series a year ahead of schedule following the death of Dale Earnhardt, and he won it by …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2020 Food City Presents the Supermarket Heroes 500 at Bristol

2020BristolNCSBradKeselowskiCheckersNASCARMedia

(Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

The Headline(s): Brad Keselowski was right to ask if Las Vegas has re-opened yet, because Sunday proved it’s sometimes better to be lucky than good. Capitalizing on a spat between Joey Logano and Chase Elliott for the race lead sending both leaders into the wall on lap 498, the No. 2 drove past the wreck …

Read more

Driver vs. Driver Classic Matchups: Jeff Gordon vs. Jimmie Johnson

DriverVsDriver_JohnsonvGordon

(Graphic: Jared Haas)

It started when the young driver asked the superstar for career advice. In 2001, NASCAR was reeling from the loss of Dale Earnhardt. Jeff Gordon, Earnhardt’s fierce rival, was on the way to a fourth championship. And Jimmie Johnson was barely a blip on the collective radar. Most fans know the story by now: Johnson …

Read more

Frontstretch Podcast: Chase Elliott Gets Redemption at Charlotte

2020CharlotteNCSChaseElliottCheckersNASCARMedai

(Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

In this week’s edition of the Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff breakdown a long week of racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which saw Chase Elliott score a victory on Thursday after a tough loss in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. The duo discuss why Thursday night’s win was important for Elliott and crew chief Alan Gustafson. Led by Elliott’s …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2020 Alsco Uniforms 500

2020CharlotteNCSRacingNASCARMedia

(Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? He might have won Darlington Raceway, but he got spun in the closing laps. He might have won the Coca-Cola 600, but a pit gamble left him just short. Thursday night, a day later than planned after rains at Charlotte Motor Speedway forced a delay, Chase …

Read more

Power Rankings: Monster Marathon Edition

NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Every year it seems that we have the debate about whether NASCAR needs a 600-mile race. You can holler out “OK, Boomer,” but I think it is very important to have some of the classic NASCAR races stay at their classic lengths. There was a time this was a test of man and machine, and …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Chase Elliott and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

2020CharlotteNCSChaseElliottFaceNASCARMedia(2)

Chase Elliott has been snake-bitten of late (Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

ONE: Chase Elliott and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week Chase Elliott’s potential race-winning Sunday night at the Coca-Cola 600 was foiled by a few factors. Leading with less than three laps to go at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron suffered a flat tire and spun. The ensuing caution …

Read more

Beside the Rising Tide: Disqualified, The 6-Ton Elephant in the Room and Other Observations 

2019 MENCS Sonoma NASCAR Official

Photo: Danny Peters

Early in my career Ben Blake, one of the great all-time writers in NASCAR history, taught me that the only thing worse than rain at a racetrack is rain at a racetrack with lights. I’d later add my own corollary that the only thing worse than rain at a racetrack with lights is rain at …

Read more

Jimmie Johnson Disqualified from 2020 Coca-Cola 600 After No. 48 Fails Post-Race Inspection

2019 Watkins Glen MENCS Cliff Daniels Crew Chief NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Jimmie Johnson has failed post-race inspection in his final Coca-Cola 600. After finishing second in the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR announced after the race that the No. 48 car of Johnson failed post-race inspection. Johnson started on the outside pole and lead six laps in Sunday’s race. As race leader Chase Elliott and others pitted in …

Read more

NASCAR Stat Sheet: Clean Air Proves King at Charlotte

2020CharlotteNCSRacingNASCARMedia(5)

(Photo: NASCAR Media/Getty Images)

On Sunday evening (May 24), NASCAR held its annual Coca-Cola 600. Longest race of the year means intriguing stats, right? Even when clean air put a damper on the proceedings. There was a seven-time champion crossing the finish line in second, for what was believed to be his best finish in nearly three calendar years. …

Read more