Race Weekend Central

Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick Win 2015 Federated Auto Parts 400 Practices at Richmond

2015 Darlington CUP Kyle Larson CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

One driver needs a win to make the Chase. The other is already in. Both paced a practice on Friday. Who are they? Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick. Larson, last year’s Rookie of the Year, led the first of two Sprint Cup practices at Richmond International Raceway with a lap of 125.525 mph. He was …

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NASCAR 101: Can Anyone Clinch a Chase Spot with a Win?

2015 Darlington CUP Jeff Gordon car CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

You’ve heard it all year: win and you’re in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Well, this weekend marks the final chance for a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to do so. By scoring a victory, while also being inside the top 30 in points and having attempted every race of the season …

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Happiness Is… Themes, Hype, and Silly Season

2015 Darlington CUP Tony Stewart car II CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The low downforce. The softer tires. The retro paint schemes. The return to Darlington Raceway over Labor Day weekend. All of these elements added up to an interesting Southern 500, one that has seemed to garner overall positive reactions. That’s great! For a sport that has seemingly battled itself more than it should and caused many of …

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Did You Notice? NASCAR’s Chase Bubbles Have Already Burst

2015 Darlington CUP Aric Almirola with cre guy CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Did You Notice? NASCAR enters Richmond without a compelling “make the Chase” story for a second straight season? Two years removed from the “Spingate” scandal we have yet to produce a sense of urgency that makes the regular season finale the “must see” event it used to be in the early years of NASCAR’s playoff …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Why No New Rule Package for Chase Races in 2015?

NASCAR Sprint Cup Cars circle Darlinton Raceway under caution in the 2015 Bojangles' Southern 500

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­­

What a weekend we had at Darlington, huh? The racing was a drastic improvement from what we’ve seen in 2015 and the throwback weekend was a lot of fun. My highlight of the weekend was watching Ken Squier, my idol as a child, calling a race again with Ned and Dale Jarrett. Squier just has …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Southern 500

2015 Darlington CUP Carl Edwards champagne CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Who’s in the headline – While Carl Edwards’s name appears in the headlines, it is his pit crew that deserves the accolades. The new aero package provided some great racing and passing opportunities, but the race came down to an eight-lap dash for the cash. Fresh tires were good enough for 15–20 laps, so whoever …

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2015 Southern 500 Retro Paint Scheme Photo Gallery

Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne Darlington Cup Retro 2015 Mike Neff-136

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

4 Burning Questions at Darlington: Can NASCAR Deliver on Important Weekend?

2014 Darlington CUP pack racing CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

1. Will the low-downforce package work once more? Forget the throwback paint schemes, forget the pomp and circumstance: the biggest story this weekend revolves around the return of the low-downforce package to the Sprint Cup cars this weekend. The last time we saw the low-downforce package was back in June at Kentucky Speedway, and the …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Too Early for Silly Season?

2015 Bristol II CUP Clint bowyer spin CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

This off week has been fairly quiet (and quick) for the Sprint Cup Series. It provided just enough time for teams and drivers to rest up and prepare for the Chase for the Sprint Cup “Challenger” Round, which kicks off in Chicagoland in another two weeks. That is, of course, if they’re one of the lucky 11 …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: 2015 Southern 500 Edition

2015 Bristol II CUP Joey Logano sword CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

NASCAR gets a rare weekend off this coming week and when the Sprint Cup cars do resume competition on Sunday night, Sept. 6, Darlington, also known as the Lady in Black, it’s place that can bring about different results than we are typically accustomed to seeing on most tracks. So just who does well at …

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4 Burning Questions at Michigan: With New Package, Will Race Be a Stinker?

2014 Michigan II CUP Joey Logano Jeff Gordon racing CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads back to Michigan International Speedway this weekend, and all everybody can talk about is the high-drag package – but the race will be remembered for so much more than that. It’s one of a final few chances for drivers not already locked into the Chase to punch their ticket. …

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Did You Notice? Why Kasey Kahne’s Not Able With Hendrick

2014 Sonoma CUP Boris Said car CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. Copyright 2014)

Did You Notice? The way in which road-course ringers can’t make up for bad equipment in Sprint Cup? It was a tale of two weekends for Boris Said, one of the sport’s road-course experts and a veteran who’s taught literally a dozen modern Cup drivers the ropes at both Sonoma and Watkins Glen. Said, hopping …

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