Race Weekend Central

Pace Laps: Elated 8th, Cup Moonlighters, F1 and More

Jeff Gordon Bank of America 500 2015 Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Sprint Cup Series: Gordon and His Elated Effort – A blatant fact for the 12 remaining drivers in the Chase or the Sprint Cup is the importance of avoiding issues; or in other words, the hunt for consistency. Though no victory for Jeff Gordon Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, a eighth-place finish in the Bank of …

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2015 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte

2015 Charlotte I CUP Jeff Gordon racing CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

Welcome to our eighth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week! Think you can out-prognosticate our staff?  Leave your …

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Xfinity Series Breakdown: 2015 Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte

Austin Dillon Race for the Cure 300 2015 Charlotte Mike Neff (9)

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Kyle Busch led more than half the laps in the Drive for the Cure 300, but he wasn’t around for the one that counted. Instead, Busch ended the night in the garage as Austin Dillon made a clean sweep of Charlotte Motor Speedway, bookending his win in the May Xfinity Series race. Dillon, who started …

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Austin Dillon Wins Race for the Cure 300, Sweeps Charlotte Xfinity Races in 2015

Austin Dillon Race for the Cure 300 2015 Charlotte Burnout 1 Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Austin Dillon earned the pole for Friday night’s Xfinity race at Charlotte Motor Speedway but when the green flag flew he had anything but a dominant car. Dillon led the first five laps but surrendered the lead to Kasey Kahne, as his car simply wasn’t handling to his liking and he drifted back into the field. His crew …

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Austin Dillon Wins 2015 Race for the Cure 300 Pole at Charlotte

Austin Dillon Race for the Cure 300 Charlotte 2015 Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Austin Dillon climbed the ladder during Xfinity Series qualifying and reached the top run in the final session to claim the pole for Friday night’s Race for the Cure 300. Dillon turned a lap of 29.424 seconds at a speed of 183.524 mph to put himself on the pole. Kasey Kahne will start alongside Dillon …

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4 Burning Questions: Will There Be Sparks Under the Lights?

2015 Charlotte I CUP pack racing credit NASCAR via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

1. CAN WE HAVE A NON-CHASER STEAL THE SHOW? If you watched the previous opening race of a Chase round this year, you should have a healthy grip on just how important the result can be. With Talladega in the distance – standing as the round’s elimination race in two weeks – do not judge …

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Kasey Kahne Fastest in Final Practice for the 2015 Drive for the Cure 300 at Charlotte

Kasey Kahne Race for the Cure 300 Charlotte 2015 Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

The top drivers in Xfinity Series practice were Cup drivers, but the best NXS drivers were right there with them when the red and black flags flew for final practice. Kasey Kahne ran 41 laps in practice, but it was the very first lap that was the quickest. Kahne tripped the timing beam at 29.928 …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 AAA 400 at Dover

dale jr and mcmurray

Photo Credit: Joseph Wolkin, Frontstretch

Who’s in the headline – Kevin Harvick dominated the race and dominated the headlines. He drove from a 15th-place starting spot, due to qualifying being rained out, to the lead in just 23 laps. From then on, Harvick led 355 of the final 377 laps, only losing the lead during pit stops when drivers took two …

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Tweet ‘N’ Greet: Tony Stewart Won a Goldfish & He’s Pretty Excited About It

2015 Richmond II CUP Tony Stewart Clint Bowyer CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

  Getting ready for @ChicagolndSpdwy quick stop by @GreatClips pic.twitter.com/LHToaJLcqH — Kasey Kahne (@kaseykahne) September 14, 2015 Kasey Kahne needed a new haircut just before traveling to Chicagoland Speedway this past weekend. Where did he go? Great Clips, of course… is there anywhere else? Everyone loves getting a new haircut every once in a while. …

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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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