Race Weekend Central

Context, Consistency & Dangerous Precedents

2014 Atlanta NSCS Joey Logano Danica Patrick cars credit getty images

(Photo: Getty Images)

Context can be a dangerous word but it is a word that is quintessentially appropriate to the asinine punishment meted out to Matt Kenseth by the powers that be. From all points across the NASCAR diaspora, the instantaneous reaction to Kenseth’s punishment after his wreck with Joey Logano last weekend was one of shock and …

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Happiness Is… Martinsville, Wonderboy & the Left Coast

Lewis Hamilton

(Photo: Getty Images)

This week in NASCAR has been a non-stop focus on the Matt Kenseth–Joey Logano happenings. What happened at Martinsville could be considered a fascinating case study in both driver etiquette and NASCAR management.   Let’s start with one of the big aspects of this whole brouhaha: the driver’s code. Apparently there is one, which means …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Danica Patrick’s Penalty and Jeff Gordon’s 93rd Victory

Martinsville Jeff Gordon Victory  2015 Cup Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

I wonder what fans want to talk about this week. Maybe the fact that Jeff Gordon won under the cover of darkness at Martinsville? What else could have possibly happened to grab anyone’s attention? Oh, right. There was that whole 10 minutes where two of the sport’s major superstars had their cars turn into a …

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Did You Notice? NASCAR is Disciplining Itself Out of Business?

Martinsville Green Yellow  2015 Cup Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Did You Notice? Every controversy we’ve seen in NASCAR this year has revolved around… rules? We changed the rules package for 2015 even though there was great racing the year before. Restart rules have been continually criticized, tweaked and remain a major sore spot. Green-white-checkered rules were modified, then mishandled in the wake of scary …

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The Frontstretch 5: Reasons NASCAR Had to Penalize Matt Kenseth

Martinsville Logano Damage  2015 Cup Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

NASCAR dropped the hammer Tuesday on Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt Kenseth after Kenseth wrecked Joey Logano Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Kenseth, frustrated with Logano for a crash in Kansas plus his subsequent lack of remorse – and contact earlier in the race – slammed Logano into the turn 1 wall to effectively end his …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 after the 2015 Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville

Martinsville Joey Logano 2015 Cup Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Once again, Martinsville Speedway lived up to its reputation. Short tempers? Check. Payback? Check. Lots and lots of contact? Check. Matt Kenseth – once thought to be one of the most even-tempered drivers in the garage area – wrecked Joey Logano while several laps down at Martinsville Speedway. Though he claimed it was unintentional, NASCAR …

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Bowles-Eye View: The Downside In Demonizing NASCAR Youth Leader Joey Logano

2015 Charlotte II CUP Joey Logano goofy selfie CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

NASCAR finds itself in a box this Tuesday A.M. (also known as After Martinsville). The past 48 hours have been nonstop jabbering about Matt Kenseth knocking Joey Logano to kingdom come. Some in the garage think Logano had it coming; others think Kenseth crossed a line. Whatever the opinion, that has led to captivating television, …

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Beside the Rising Tide: Accidents Will Happen

2015 Martinsville II CUP Matt Kenseth crash damage CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

Accidents will happen, We only hit and run, I don’t want to hear it, Because I know what I’ve done. -Elvis Costello- There’s nothing so wrong with the new NASCAR that an old racetrack can’t fix it. There’s only one track left on the schedule that was a part of NASCAR’s inaugural 1949 “Strictly Stock” …

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Jeff Gordon’s 93rd Win: Just What NASCAR Needed

Jeff Gordon Martinsville 2015 Cup Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Editor’s Note: Are you receiving the FREE Frontstretch newsletter? If you’re not, you’re missing out on great, exclusive content like this one from S.D. Grady, Mark Howell, Phil Allaway and more! Click here to sign up and see what you’re missing! And the crowd went wild. You saw it. I saw it. Just about everybody who …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN Pulls No Punches With NASCAR on Intentional Wrecking

2015 Martinsville II CUP AJ Allmendinger Cole Whitt racing CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

Martinsville Speedway. Home to tight racing, bumping and banging, and the occasional intentional crash. That’s what we had to deal with this past weekend at the paperclip. Before we start, we’ve reached a milestone. Today, we’re celebrating the fact that I’ve written 500 critiques for Frontstretch, either here on the website or in our Newsletter, …

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Pace Laps: Revenge, Free Agency, and Champions Crowned

NHRA 2015 Las Vegas Erica Enders celebrates championship courtesy NHRA Media

Photo Credit: NHRA Media

Sprint Cup Series: They’re at it again. Just as Joey Logano had visions a fourth consecutive win of 2015 and first at Martinsville Speedway, Matt Kenseth came back on track multiple laps down and all the eyes turned to the other yellow car of Kenseth. Heated from the Kansas spin off Logano’s bumper two weeks …

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Up To Speed: Matt Kenseth Took It Too Far… And He Didn’t Have To

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500

(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Depending on the circumstances in Homestead in a few weeks, Martinsville could turn out to be the most meaningful, impactful race of the season. Not only did Jeff Gordon advance to the championship race in his final season (after he hadn’t won a race all year), but championship favorite Joey Logano may very well miss …

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