Race Weekend Central

5 Points To Ponder: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Falls Just Short At Talladega

2017 Bristol II CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrad NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Falls Just Short In the end, on a day dedicated in his honor and the 17th anniversary of his late father’s last win, it was not to be for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished seventh at the end of an insane race at Talladega. “I would have loved to have won …

Read more

Did You Notice?: Tackling The Unpredictability of Talladega And NASCAR Silly Season

2017 Talladega I CUP Ricky Stenhouse Jr pack racing MAtthew T Thacker NKP

(Photo Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

Did You Notice? …. Talladega is truly the Russian Roulette of the NASCAR playoffs? This race has now had a green-white-checkered finish three years running. Last fall, two top title contenders (Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr.) failed to finish in surprising fashion (engine failure). Later in that race, a driver who would soon announce his retirement (Brian Scott) …

Read more

The 10: NASCAR Cup Series Power Rankings After Charlotte

2017 Loudon Cup Martin Truex Jr. Car Phil Allaway

(Photo: Phil Allaway)

Throughout the history of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, there are numerous examples of a driver dominating at a certain track or type of track. What is unique about what we’ve seen at the mile-and-a-half speedways this year is that the dominant driver seemed destined for a career as an also-ran for nearly a …

Read more

Denny Hamlin Scores First NASCAR Cup Pole of Season at Charlotte

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America 500 Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC USA Friday 6 October 2017 Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, FedEx Office Toyota Camry World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Every October, qualifying takes a twist come Charlotte Motor Speedway in the playoffs… we turn on the lights. The twist also caused a surprise Toyota to make its way to the front. During Friday night’s qualifying session, it was Denny Hamlin who scored the pole for Sunday’s Bank of America 500, ripping around the 1.5-mile track …

Read more

Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered by DraftKings: Bank of America 500 Preview

2017 cup new hampshire zach catanzareti kevin harvick

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

DraftKings’ daily fantasy NASCAR game heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend for the Bank of America 500. This race marks the first event of the second round in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The green flag flies Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC. Cars will hit the track on Friday …

Read more

Did You Notice?: 7 NASCAR Storylines Still Worth Watching

2017 Richmond II CUP Kyle Busch Martin Truex Jr Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Did You Notice?… It’s been a difficult, controversial start to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. In the last three weeks, we’ve seen a 25-point penalty by a potential title contender (Chase Elliott). There’s been controversy surrounding the national anthem, forcing NASCAR PR to take a stance. Toyota has been dominating races, leading 299 of …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: Late Pass Gives Kyle Busch Victory Over Chase Elliott at Dover

dover

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Who’s in the headline – We’ve seen it happen multiple times at Dover International Speedway as the No. 48 team makes a late-race charge to lead a handful of laps and win the race. It wasn’t the No. 48 car Sunday, but it was the No. 18 team. Kyle Busch dropped like a stone in …

Read more

Matt Kenseth Leads Opening Practice at Dover

2017 Chicago CUP Matt Kenseth Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

As the opening round of the 2017 Cup Series playoffs come to a close this weekend, Matt Kenseth, yet to win in 2017 topped the speed chart in Friday morning’s practice at Dover International Speedway. The No. 20 turned a lap of 162.550 mph, 0.072 second ahead of the next fastest time. Flashback to the …

Read more

Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered by DraftKings: Apache Warrior 400 Preview

2017 Loudon Cup Kyle Larson Car Phil Allaway

(Photo: Phil Allaway)

DraftKings’ daily fantasy NASCAR heads to Dover International Speedway this weekend for the Apache Warrior 400. This race marks the third and final event of the first round in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The green flag flies Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Here are eight drivers to look out …

Read more

The 10: NASCAR Cup Series Power Rankings After New Hampshire

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 301 New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH USA Sunday 16 July 2017 Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Busch Beer Ford Fusion and Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, FedEx Office Toyota Camry World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returned to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the second event of the 2017 playoffs. Alas, it was likely the final time that the track will host a playoff event, as the race date moves to Las Vegas next season. Regardless of your opinion of the change, it’s always tough to …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: A Sluggish Start to the NASCAR Playoffs — Why?

2017 Michigan II CUP Jimmie Johnson helmet Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: Sluggish Start to NASCAR’s 10-Race Playoff It’s fair to say for NASCAR that it hasn’t been the compelling start to the 2017 playoffs the powers that be at Daytona Beach, Fla.,  would have wanted. We’ve had two poor races with limited-to-no excitement. There hasn’t been a great deal of passing, not really any it seems …

Read more

Untouchable: Kyle Busch Avoids Mid-Race Wreck for Dominating Loudon Victory

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series ISM Connect 300 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Loudon, NH USA Sunday 24 September 2017 Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, M&M's Caramel Toyota Camry celebrates his win World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Kyle Busch may have dominated Sunday’s ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but he needed a little luck to get it done, too. After a track-blocking crash that swallowed up leader Martin Truex Jr. and others on lap 150, Busch tip-toed through the melee for grab the race lead. “That was pretty intense,” …

Read more