Race Weekend Central

Fire on Fridays: The Arrival of Ross Chastain

Ross Chastain No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing car at 2021 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

I watched a few YouTube videos of old NASCAR Cup Series races the other day. I don’t do this often; when it comes to sports, I tend to prefer to live in the live sports moment rather than rewatching old events where the outcome’s already occurred. But, you know, rabbit holes are rabbit holes. YouTube’s …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Ally 400 at Nashville

Kyle Larson holds up the Ally 400 trophy at Nashville Superspeedway. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Kyle Larson won the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday (June 20) after another incredible performance for his third consecutive points-race win (fourth counting the All-Star Race).  Ross Chastain, William Byron, Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five finishers. Charlotte: Kyle LarsonSonoma: Kyle Larson All-Star Race: Kyle Larson@NashvilleSuperS: Kyle Larson@KyleLarsonRacin …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Ally 400

2021-Cup-Nashville-Kyle Larson-Pit-Stop-NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who … should you be talking about after the Ally 400? Kyle Larson proved again Sunday (June 20) that the No. 5 team is no fluke. Larson led a whopping 264 of 300 laps at Nashville Superspeedway and was rarely challenged up front in the track’s NASCAR Cup Series debut. Larson’s fourth win of the season …

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Ross Chastain Earns ‘Humbling’ Top 5 at Nashville

Ross Chastain at Nashville

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Owner Chip Ganassi has a saying: “Do the obvious things right.” The saying was on the mind of crew chief Phil Surgen Sunday (June 20) with about 73 laps left in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway. That’s when he called Ross Chastain to pit road from third under caution. He was …

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Kyle Larson Wins 3rd Straight Points Race, Triumphs in NASCAR’s Debut in Nashville

NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Sunday (June 20) marked the first time the NASCAR’s Cup Series visited Nashville Superspeedway, holding the Ally 400 on a sunny, hot afternoon in the Music City. It might’ve been a new venue, but in the words of Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime,” it was the “same as it ever was” with Kyle Larson …

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Truck Crewman Suspended, Xfinity & Cup Teams Fined After Texas

2021 Texas Trucks John Hunter Nemechek burnout NKP

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

After the previous weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck series events at Texas Motor Speedway, NASCAR has released its weekly penalty report that has left one Xfinity team fined and a Truck crew member suspended. Matthew Moermond, who is listed as the technical director and an engineer for Kyle Busch Motorsports, has been suspended …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: The All-Star Race Was Convoluted. FOX Sports 1 Just Wasn’t Good Enough With Explanations

NASCAR All-Star Race action from Texas Motor Speedway, June 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The All-Star Race has been jumping around recently, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the 2021 schedule was released, Texas was one of the most lenient states regulation-wise, so it was granted the race, which was moved to June. Anyone that lives in Texas, or keeps track of potential weather conditions, knew going in …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas

2021 Texas all Star Race Kyle Larson Burnout NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Kyle Larson won the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas on Sunday (June 13) after a bold pass for the lead in the final round. Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-five finishers. YUNG MONEY LARSON.@KyleLarsonRacin wins for the third week in a row, winning the #AllStarRace for …

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Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, Aric Almirola, Matt DiBenedetto Advance to All-Star Race

Ross Chastain in the garage at Circuit of the Americas, 5/22/2021 (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Two hours prior to the NASCAR Cup Series’ 2021 All-Star Race, four drivers locked in their spots to race for $1 million late Sunday (June 13) evening. Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick and Aric Almirola won the first, second and final rounds, respectively, of the All-Star Open to qualify for the main event. Matt DiBenedetto, who …

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Tracking the Trucks: John Hunter Nemechek Wins Texas, Goes Back-to-Back

2021 Texas Trucks John Hunter Nemechek drinking Rowdy Energy in victory lane NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In a Nutshell: John Hunter Nemechek is pretty good at this truck racing thing. Nemechek led nearly half the laps of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ SpeedyCash.com 220 on Saturday (June 12) afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway, kicking off a solid day for team owner Kyle Busch all around: Busch went on to win …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Toyota/Save Mart 350

Kyle Larson in victory lane at Sonoma's Toyota/Save Mart 350 (June 2021). (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who … should you be talking about after the Toyota/Save Mart 350? Is Kyle Larson finally living up to his potential? He’s always had the talent to win but has struggled to close. For the second week in a row, Larson left no doubt whether he could finish out races, dominating the Toyota/Save Mart 350 …

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Hendrick GM: Owe Chip Ganassi Racing ‘Big Apology’ After Coke 600 Engine Problems

2021 Kansas I Cup Ross Chastain Kurt Busch racing NKP

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

Hendrick Motorsports’ General Manager issued a public “big apology” to Chip Ganassi Racing on Friday (June 4) for the mechanical failures that resulted in CGR’s two Cup cars finishing in the last two spots of Sunday’s (May 30) Coca-Cola 600. Ganassi is part of a technical alliance with Hendrick. While Hendrick Motorsports won the race …

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