Race Weekend Central

Did You Notice? … The Chase Where Nobody Wrecked

2016 Charlotte All Star CUP Tony Stewart crash damage Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Did You Notice? … This Chase has been the one where nobody wrecked? We’re on pace for the fewest cautions in the history of NASCAR’s playoff, races decided through a handful of restarts and pit strategy spread out over long green-flag runs. Think back to last year and the title’s defining moments. Joey Logano spins …

Read more

Hendrick Motorsports, Furniture Row Racing Announce New Sponsors

2016 Pocono II CUP Martin Truex Jr helmet Logan Whitton NKP

(Photo: Logan Whitton / NKP)

A pair of NASCAR Sprint Cup teams announced new sponsorship deals on Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway ahead of Saturday night’s Bank of America 500. Hendrick Motorsports added uniform service company UniFirst to its No. 5 car.  The 8-year deal covers two races in 2016 and 2017, with the first at Talladega in two weeks, …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Can a Non-Chaser Play Spoiler at Dover?

2016 Cup Richmond Kasey Kahne Jeff Gordon Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

This weekend’s race at Dover is a much bigger race than it was three years ago. Then, it was the third race of the Chase, an important part of a 10-race stretch of events that would lead to the Sprint Cup championship. Today, it is still the third race of the Chase, but serves as …

Read more

Kasey Kahne Scores Fourth Consecutive Top-10 Finish

2016 NASCAR New Hampshire

(Photo: Matthew Thacker / NKP)

Kasey Kahne had to overcome adversity from the wave of the initial green flag Sunday in New Hampshire. After qualifying ninth, the No. 5 team had to start from the rear for unapproved adjustments. During a 125-lap green flag run to start the race, Kahne worked his way up inside the top 15. From then, …

Read more

NASCAR Mailbox: The Future of Hendrick Motorsports Continues to be Uncertain

2016 Loudon I CUP Alex Bowman Greg Ives Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Jimmie Johnson soared to the lead at Chicagoland Speedway this past Sunday, showcasing speed that hasn’t been present with the No. 48 car in nearly a year. While some speculate that Johnson has lost his magic touch with the new Chase format, he was bringing his Hendrick Motorsports car to the front of the pack …

Read more

Great Clips Extends Contract with Kasey Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports

2016 Cup Richmond Kasey Kahne Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Hendrick Motorsports announced today sponsor Great Clips has extended its contract through 2018 with the organization and Kasey Kahne. Great Clips will be the primary sponsor of Kahne’s No. 5 for ten races in both 2017 and 2018, continuing a five-year relationship. When the partnership originated, Great Clips was on board for three races each …

Read more

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not: NASCAR Implications Edition

2016-chicago-cup-martin-truex-jr-burnout-russell-labounty-nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

Sunday brought us our first Chase race and for some drivers, the first race that had real implications for them since a win earlier this season. Due to some upcoming penalties that will likely be announced Wednesday, we don’t even know what all of those implications will be. HOT It remains to be seen if …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2016 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400

2016-chicago-cup-martin-truex-jr-woohoo-brett-moist-nkp

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Staying out on a late caution won this race a year ago, and while it was not the winning strategy this time around, there’s something to be said for trying to make something happen late, which was exactly the tack taken by Ryan Blaney and Kasey Kahne. While neither …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: Martin Truex, Jr. Overcomes Adversity With Late Charge to Win at Chicagoland

2016-chicago-cup-martin-truex-jr-woohoo-nigel-kinrade-nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

  Who’s in the headline – Martin Truex, Jr. overcame a tire issue under green flag conditions to put himself in position to make a run at the race win. A late-race caution and a strong pit stop resulted in Truex restarting outside the second row. An aggressive move to the outside allowed him to …

Read more

Double Take: Yes, There Is Life Outside of the Chase

2016 Indianapolis Cup Ryan Blaney Brett Moist NKP

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

Much of the conversation in NASCAR right now is focused on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase field, and rightfully so. After all, one of those 16 drivers will end the season with the series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But hey, look, there are still 24 other drivers who will take the green flag in Sunday’s race …

Read more

4 Burning Questions: Will a Must-Winner Steal the Spotlight in Richmond?

2016 Richmond I CUP Kasey Kahne racing Matthew T Thacker NKP

Matthew T Thacker NKP

What Must-Win Driver Will Win on Saturday Night? While there are 13 NASCAR drivers who are locked into the Chase and can let it ride Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, there are even more who enter with their seasons on the line. These men and women cannot count on points and have no mathematical chance of Chase …

Read more

5 Points To Ponder: Was Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek Aggression Too Much?

2016 Atlanta CWTS Cole Custer Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: A Look At Those Locked In With Darlington in the books, the Chase field for the Sprint Cup Series has gotten substantially clearer. Of the 16 Chase spots, 12 have been tentatively filled by race winners who have clinched finishing the regular season in the top 30. These 12 drivers include, by order of …

Read more