Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Has Ryan Newman Had a Hall-of-Fame Career?

Ryan Newman at 2021 spring Phoenix Cup race NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 in the NASCAR Cup Series has just two top-five finishes since Kyle Larson’s tenure ended more than a year ago. What’s wrong at CGR, and what should be done? Josh Roller: The No. 42 with Ross Chastain behind the wheel is heading in the right direction in 2021, despite only …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

2021 Cup Charlotte Kyle Larson Woo-hoo celebration after Coca-Cola 600 (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

What happened? Kyle Larson won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday (May 30) after a downright dominant performance where he led a career-high 327 laps.  Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, William Byron and Alex Bowman rounded out the top-five finishers. Soaking in the crown jewel W. ?@KyleLarsonRacin | #CocaCola600 pic.twitter.com/QFjnnEplxX — NASCAR (@NASCAR) …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Coca-Cola 600

2021 Cup Charlotte Pack Racing - Erik Jones, No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the Coca-Cola 600? Kyle Larson cruised to his second win of the season at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday (May 30) with a whopping 10-second lead on second place. With Larson’s victory, Hendrick Motorsports passed Richard Petty Motorsports to set a NASCAR record with 269 wins as an organization. …

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Dropping the Hammer: Ross Chastain on Smashing Watermelons, Breaking Bad Habits

Ross Chastain at COTA

Ross Chastain on track at COTA (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

No one was more surprised to run in the top five on a road course in the middle of a downpour, let alone finish there, than Ross Chastain. “I watched everything back when I got home last night,” Chastain told Frontstretch Monday (May 24) after he finished fourth in Sunday’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Echopark Texas Grand Prix at COTA

Chase Elliott races in the rain at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). May 2021 Cup (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Chase Elliott won the Echopark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday (May 23) after heavy rain and poor track conditions halted the COTA race early with 14 laps remaining.   Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top-five finishers. Let the celebration begin! @chaseelliott and …

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Up to Speed: Has the Tide Turned for Ross Chastain?

Ross Chastain at COTA

Ross Chastain on track at COTA (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

NASCAR’s inaugural weekend at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas featured plenty of surprises.  But one positive outcome that most fans might not have anticipated was a great run for Ross Chastain. Chastain is in the midst of his first full-time NASCAR Cup Series season with Chip Ganassi Racing.  Prior to 2021, he …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Unable to Be Wrangled, Kyle Busch Dominates COTA

2021 Xfinity COTA Kyle Busch, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (Credit: NKP)

Kyle Busch on track at COTA (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of the Americas started with Kyle Busch leading the field to green. Many have grown accustomed to Busch’s ability to smack the field with his performance, and in Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 at COTA, Rowdy didn’t hold back. Not only did Busch lead 35 of 46 laps, …

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Into NASCAR’s Unknown: Road Course Winds of Change Blowing Left and Right

Chase Elliott practices at COTA

March 2, 2021: Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX. ( +CMS-HHP-Harold Hinson)

A grand total of 13 weeks remain in the NASCAR Cup Series 2021 regular season. Nearly 40% of those races will be road courses. Cup drivers will be turning left right at Circuit of the Americas this Sunday (May 23), as well as at Sonoma Raceway (June 6), Road America (July 4), Watkins Glen International …

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5 Points to Ponder: 2021 NASCAR Manufacturer Parity Among Ford, Chevy & Toyota

All three NASCAR manufacturers (Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota) battle at Kansas Speedway. (Photo: NKP) Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr, Chase Elliott

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1: NASCAR manufacturer parity … At the top 12 races into the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, it’s clear three organizations have separated from the rest of the pack. Joe Gibbs Racing (with Darlington Raceway winner Martin Truex Jr.), Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports are the sport’s new Big 3, sweeping 10 of the top …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: Darlington Presents Challenges to FOX

Race action in the 2021 Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, May 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photgraphy)

Throwback weekend is a great time. I’ve never been to Darlington, but I have a standing offer to go and stay with my friend’s parents if I ever go. Had they kept the Southern 500 in early April, I would have taken them up on it. Even with two dates, the schedule doesn’t really work …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Goodyear 400 at Darlington

Martin Truex Jr. celebrates in victory lane with trophy after Goodyear 400 throwback Darlington weekend 2021 spring Cup Chris Graythen/Getty

(Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

What happened? Martin Truex Jr. won the Goodyear 400 at Darlington on Sunday (May 9) after leading 248 of 293 laps for his third win of the 2021 season. Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, William Byron and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers at NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend. One of the best burner-outers in the game …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 Goodyear 400

2021 spring Kansas Cup race Kevin Harvick Busch for the farmers car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s time once again for NASCAR’s throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, though much earlier in the season than previous years. Let’s get your daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings lineups set for the Goodyear 400 on Sunday, May 9. Last year the Cup Series took to the Lady in Black three times, including the first two events …

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