Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Where Will Matt Kenseth Land?

2017 Las Vegas CUP Matt Kenseth Ruddell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Matt Kenseth is officially a free agent after the 2017 season.  Can Kenseth, age 45, still land a top-level ride?  Should he accept a mid-tier offer if the power teams don’t come calling? Bryan Gable:  Absolutely.  Just because Kenseth is not in his prime anymore does not mean he has no value to NASCAR’s best …

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4 Burning Questions: Will Aric Almirola Struggle to Compete in 2017?

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling 400 Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KS USA Friday 12 May 2017 Aric Almirola, Richard Petty Motorsports, Smithfield Ford Fusion World Copyright: Brett Moist NKP

Aric Almirola (Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

Will Aric Almirola Struggle to Compete at Loudon and Beyond? In the last eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, there have been four different drivers in the No. 43. But this one is the name that has been on the windshield all along. Aric Almirola is back in action for Sunday’s Overton’s 300 at …

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2-Headed Monster: Was Matt Kenseth’s Tenure at JGR a Success?

2017 Las Vegas CUP Matt Kenseth Ruddell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

This week’s Frontstretch debate question: Matt Kenseth and Joe Gibbs Racing recently announced that the two would part ways after the 2017 season. Kenseth joined JGR at the start of 2013, amassing 14 of his 38 career wins in the No. 20 Toyota. He has finished inside the top five in the point standings twice, although …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered By DraftKings: Overtons 301 Preview

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN USA Saturday 22 April 2017 Martin Truex Jr, Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota Camry World Copyright: Matthew T. Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker NKP)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series now heads to New England for the Overtons 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET. Daily fantasy NASCAR prep starts when cars hit the track on Friday at 11:30 a.m. for first practice; Coors Light Pole Qualifying follows at 4:45. Here are eight drivers …

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NASCAR Mailbox: What Makes 2018 An Opportune Time for Erik Jones to Re-Join Joe Gibbs Racing?

2015 NASCAR Kansas

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/ NKP)

The start of silly season is finally here. It took long enough, didn’t it? Rumors have been all over the Internet for the past month or so, featuring headlines with dozens of scenarios that have a slight chance of taking place. Speculation has its ways, and accurate or not, it is certainly bringing attention to …

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Erik Jones to Replace Matt Kenseth, Moves to Joe Gibbs Racing Starting in 2018

2017 Kansas I CUP Erik Jones Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

There will be a new face in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota come next year’s Daytona 500, and his name is Erik Jones. The 21-year-old Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie will return to Joe Gibbs Racing after a year of competing full-time for Furniture Row Racing. As Jones enters JGR’s Cup lineup, 2003 …

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5 Points to Ponder: Ch-ch-changes

2017 pocono cup zach catanzareti darrell wallace jr.

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The Track Side interviews: First up, this week, a quick word about NBC’s new “trackside” winner interviews conducted on the frontstretch immediately post-burnout. My quick take is they’re excellent, and it’s a tremendous addition to the overall broadcast. Why? Primarily because it’s a chance to see some raw emotion from the winning driver before they’ve …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kentucky was Martin Truex Jr.’s World; Everyone Else was Looking for a Nut

2017-Kentucky-Cup-Martin-Truex-Jr-burnout-Barry-Cantrell-NKP

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Just over a year ago, Martin Truex, Jr. turned the Coca-Cola 600 into his own personal playground. Saturday wasn’t that level of dominant, but it was close. Truex has been very strong on 1.5-mile tracks since the marriage of Joe Gibbs Racing and Furniture Row Racing at the beginning of 2016, …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After The 2017 Quaker State 400

2017-Kentucky-CUP-Kyle-Larson-pack-racing-Barry-Cantrell-NKP

(Photo: Barry Cantrell/NKP)

Who… gets the shoutout of the race? Kyle Larson was held up in pre-qualifying inspection on Friday at Kansas Speedway and never made a qualifying lap, resulting in the Cup Series point leader starting the race shotgun on the field. Proving that it’s not about where you start, but where you finish, Larson ended up finishing …

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Matt Kenseth: ‘As of Today, I Do Not Have a Job for Next Year’

2017 pocono cup zach catanzareti matt kenseth

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Matt Kenseth could be back in a car in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. He could not be. Right now, he’s not so sure. In a press conference at Kentucky Speedway Friday (July 7), Kenseth addressed his status for 2018 with Joe Gibbs Racing, telling reporters he didn’t know what the future held. “I’m …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered By DraftKings: Quaker State 400 Preview

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500 Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN USA Saturday 22 April 2017 Martin Truex Jr, Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota Camry World Copyright: Matthew T. Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker NKP)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Kentucky Speedway for the Quaker State 400 this Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. In your latest daily fantasy NASCAR weekend, cars hit the track on Friday at 10 a.m. for first practice, and then at 6:15 p.m. on Friday for Coors Light Pole Qualifying. Here are eight …

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Up to Speed: What Daytona Performance Reveals for Playoff Hopefuls

bubba wallace ryan blaney daytona

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

It is not unusual to see underdogs perform well in restrictor plate races.  However, Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway produced a few more surprises than usual. Winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the only driver to start and finish inside the top 10.  Additionally, no driver who entered the race in the top …

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