Race Weekend Central

Up to Speed: Evening Races Perfect Fit for Homestead-Miami Speedway

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

During the first few weeks of the 2021 NASCAR season, start times of races have become a point of debate.  This weekend’s slate of races at Homestead-Miami Speedway featured the same later-than-usual green flag times as the first two races weekends.  Saturday’s Xfinity Series race took the green flag around 4:45 p.m. local time.  The …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Dixie Vodka 400

William Byron won the 2021 Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? His first win was controversial, coming after he triggered a multi-car crash at Daytona International Speedway in the 2020 regular-season finale to squeeze into the playoffs, but William Byron’s second victory was a statement. Byron dominated at Homestead-Miami Speedway, leading 102 of 267 laps, including the …

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Friday Faceoff: How Many Road Courses Is Too Many?

Chase Elliott leads the pack at 2021 Daytona road course Photo NKP

(photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Does the NASCAR Cup Series schedule feature too many road courses? What is the ideal number? Luken Glover: Yes. Road courses can present great racing, but there are a lot of times when they are uneventful races too. Sometimes they can be wreckfests, like we saw in all three series in some capacity at the …

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Cinderella Story NASCAR Style Times Two

Nascar Cup Series

c#48: Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Ally, #34: Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports, Ford Mustang Love's Travel Stops, and #37: Ryan Preece, JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Kroger/Coca-Cola

Are you tired of us old guys telling you how much better NASCAR was back in the day? Thankfully, I will spare you that argument because while I often miss some of the old days, I don’t miss hearing about drivers getting hurt or killed as often as they did back in the day. Join …

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Did You Notice?: A Cautionary Tale on NASCAR Road Courses

Yellow Flag: Caution

(Photo: Frontstretch.com)

Did You Notice? … This year’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway road course ran 12 of its 70 laps under caution? It adds up to 17% of Sunday’s race (Feb. 21), with only one green-flag run lasting more than 10 laps. The eight cautions were more than any road race outside of …

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5 Points to Ponder: Double Your Pleasure at Daytona

Ty Gibbs at Gateway Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Daytona Road Course Needs to Stay Among the many, many questions that can likely never be answered to the satisfaction of NASCAR fans everywhere is how many road course races on the Cup Series schedule is the right number. The general consensus, as much as there is one, is that the two that were …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: Feels Like the First Time

Christopher Bell celebrates after winning the 2021 O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 Photo:NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Here’s an interesting tidbit: For the first time since 1950, the first two races of the Cup Series schedule have been won by first-time visitors to victory lane. It’s almost happened a couple times before. In 2001, Michael Waltrip picked up his first win at Daytona International Speedway, but Rockingham Speedway winner Steve Park had …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona Road Course

2021 Daytona Rc Cup Bell Victory Lane Nkp

What happened? Christopher Bell won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 253 at the Daytona road course on Sunday (Feb. 21), making it back-to-back first time winners to open the 2021 Cup Series season (the first time since 1950 that has happened). Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top-five finishers. ? …

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Up to Speed: The Pressure to Win in NASCAR 2021 is Already On

Nascar Cup Series

#21: Matt DiBenedetto, Wood Brothers Racing, Ford Mustang Motorcraft/Quick Lane

Raise your hand if you thought that, two races into the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the two race winners would be Michael McDowell and Christopher Bell.  If you made that prediction a few weeks ago, a fellow race fan might have assumed that you’d spent too much time around the gasoline fumes on pit …

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The Underdog House: AJ Allmendinger Recovers to Be Top Dog in Cup

Nascar Xfinity Series

#16: A J Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Ellsworth Advisors

Top Dog It has been nearly three years since NASCAR veteran AJ Allmendinger has taken his place behind the wheel of a NASCAR Cup Series car. The last time we saw the Dinger on NASCAR’s premier level was in 2018 driving the No. 47 Chevrolet for JTG Daughtery Racing. Since then, the 39-year-old has stayed …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 O’Reilly Auto Parts 253

Christopher Bell won at the Daytona Road Course in 2021 Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? First-time winners don’t happen every week… oh, wait. After Michael McDowell won his first career NASCAR Cup Series race in the Daytona 500 last week, Christopher Bell drove a masterful final 10 laps to reel in and pass veteran Joey Logano under the white flag to …

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Friday Faceoff: Does Michael McDowell’s Win Turn Up Heat For Mid-Pack Teams?

Michael McDowell Love’s at Cup Daytona I 2021 Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Should the Daytona 500 and this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race on the road course have been held with fewer days in between? Luken Glover: I can understand the reasoning behind it, but no. In a world where television ratings are crucial, a midweek race would not be the way to go. We saw a …

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