Race Weekend Central

The Yellow Stripe: Oh, So Close – Tough Luck for Elliott Sadler, Joe Gibbs Racing & Fans at the Daytona 500

Luck can be a fickle mistress, and at the premature end of the 51st running of the Great American Race, there were plenty of drivers – from the veterans to the rookies – who could attest all too easily to that sentiment. Chief among those bemoaning their poor fortune was Elliott Sadler. The Emporia, Va. …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Daytona 500

Some teams came out of the block strong following good runs in Sunday’s Daytona 500. Due to the nature of restrictor-plate racing, fate can play a major role in which teams are successful and which head to California hoping to get their season on the right track. And while it’s easy to get caught up …

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Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Freshmen Cannot Dodge Wrecks at Daytona

This week’s Rookie Report is based on the results of a rain-shortened Daytona 500. What is important to note is the race would’ve finished all 500 miles – if the green flag didn’t fall at the ridiculous start time of 3:40 p.m. ET. When are the networks going to realize that fans want racing, not …

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Bubble Breakdown: AJ Allmendinger Sticks the Landing While Joey Logano Sticks It in the Wall

The 2009 Sprint Cup season officially kicked off Sunday afternoon with the running of the Daytona 500; and with that, the battle for the Top 35 is on. For those of you new to the sport, the Top 35 teams in owner points are locked into the starting grid each week. For the first five races …

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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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Running Their Mouth: 2009 Bud Shootout at Daytona

Welcome to the first 2009 edition of Running Their Mouth! Each week, we’ll go through media reports, interviews, PR and all our own stuff to find the best quotes from the Nextel Cup race, capturing the story of how the weekend unfolded. It’s the most original commentary you’ll ever find: the truth, coming straight out …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2009 Bud Shootout at Daytona Race Recap

The Key Moment: Kevin Harvick assumed the lead milliseconds before the caution flag flew, signaling the end of the race. In a Nutshell: With the convoluted new format and dearth of attendance and excitement Saturday night, is it time to just call this Shootout silliness off? Dramatic Moment: Waiting to see who was going to …

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6 Points to Ponder: 2009 Daytona Speedweeks – Week 1 Edition

Is it time for Daytona to be repaved? Drivers started complaining about the surface following Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout, saying that the current racecar is not built for this particular track and its surface. It would make sense to smooth the bumps, repave the track and let ‘em loose like at Talladega – but in …

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Sprint Cup Rookie Report: 2009 NASCAR Season Preview

After one of the most economically brutal NASCAR offseasons in recent history, it’s finally time to start focusing on performances on the stopwatch instead of on the balance sheet. This also spells good news for Professor Lumbis as I get to preview and critique this season’s rookies once again. The 2008 season was not kind …

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5 Points to Ponder: 2009 NASCAR Preview Edition

NASCAR’s top national series hits the track this week – which means that finally, finally fans will be able to hear more about on track news and the upcoming year rather than an offseason full of layoffs, mergers and utter confusion. Instead, when the green flag waves next weekend for the Budweiser Shootout – and …

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