Race Weekend Central

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not: Bristol Edition

2016 Texas I CUP Martin Truex Jr Kyle Busch racing John Harrelson NKP

(Photo: John Harrelson/NKP)

For a while on Saturday night, the waiting was the hardest part for anyone interested in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. But the once the raindrops stopped falling on heads, cars, pit boxes, etc., it turned into a fairly entertaining race for those of us who managed to stay up until …

Read more

The Big Six: Questions Answered After the 2016 STP 500

Kyle Busch Burnout Martinsville 2016 Cup Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? AJ Allmendinger put on a heck of a show in his late-race bid for the runner-up spot, but it was Kyle Larson who took full advantage of the real estate battle, squeezing through to finish third at a track where he’s struggled mightily in the past. Larson missed this race …

Read more

Martinsville a Homecoming for Wood Brothers Racing

2016 Phoenix I CUP Ryan Blaney car Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Ryan Blaney isn’t from Martinsville, but it’s his team’s home track. While the Wood Brothers Racing shop is located in North Carolina now the town of Stuart, Virginia, just a few miles up the road from Martinsville Speedway, is where the long and oft-told story of the No. 21 car began.  The oldest team in the …

Read more

Did You Notice? … Tony Stewart Could Easily Still Make The Chase

Tony Stewart Bank of America 500 2015 Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Did You Notice? … Five races into the 2016 season the door is still wide open for Tony Stewart to make the Chase? Certainly, there’s a lot that would have to happen; the three-time Sprint Cup champion isn’t even expected to return to the series until May. The sabbatical leaves him out for about 12 …

Read more

Beyond the Cockpit: Ryan Blaney Bringing Success Back to the Wood Brothers

2016 Las Vegas CUP Ryan Blaney smile Nigel Kinrage NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

The Wood Brothers have been around since 1953, when the iconic No. 21 car first began circling a racetrack. Ever since then, NASCAR’s oldest team has fought through adversity time after time. Since scaling back to a part-time schedule in 2009, five drivers have piloted the red and white Ford. But after Ryan Blaney sped …

Read more

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Martinsville Edition

2016 Fontana CUP Jimmie Johnson Superman Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade /NKP)

There’s that old Jim Croce song, covered by many several times over the years, where it talks about not tugging on superman’s cape and where you don’t mess around with Jim. A late restart at California Sunday afternoon allowed for both of those things to happen, in a sense. It pulled the cape of the …

Read more

Did You Notice?… The Wood Brothers’ Sudden Resurgence?

2016 Phoenix I NXS Kyle Busch celebrates Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Did You Notice?… Kyle Busch‘s NASCAR XFINITY Series dominance? Well, sure, you probably have, even if you haven’t actually watched any of the races, since it’s been quite the topic across social media, NASCAR forums and elsewhere. In three 2016 starts, all coming in the last three races, Busch is batting 1,000, relinquishing Victory Lane only …

Read more

The 10: The Great Tie of Arizona

2016 Phoenix I CUP Denny Hamlin pack racing Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Well, this is a first. Sunday’s Good Sam 500(k) marked the second photo finish in four races to start 2016, with Kevin Harvick just edging out Carl Edwards to stay atop the throne as the king of Phoenix International Raceway. Not one to be outdone, our list of Power Rankings voters somehow managed an even …

Read more

The Frontstretch Five: Feel Good Stories So Far In NASCAR 2016

2016 Phoenix I CUP Matt DiBenedetto David Ragan Nigel Knrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Finishes like this one: … and this one: No, they won’t all be like that, but these finishes were pretty spectacular, and the racing through the field hasn’t been too shabby either, with the exception of Daytona. Maybe someday, FOX will see fit to show that part to fans at home… 2. A few new …

Read more

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: California Edition

2016 Phoenix I NXS Kyle bUsch bow Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

We were minus the sandstorms and other weird weather phenomenons in Phoenix on Sunday, but NASCAR and its fans got something much better – a thrilling, down to the line, door-banging finish. HOT So now that’s two of the four races so far with extra-close finishes, and that’s a pretty good percentage. I wouldn’t expect …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud – Kevin Harvick Beats His Way to Eighth Career Phoenix Victory

2016 Phoenix I CUP Kevin Harvick team celebration Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – There are two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. Closely behind that is Kevin Harvick winning at Phoenix International Raceway. For the eighth time in his career and the sixth time in the last eight races, Harvick was the first car under the checkered flag. What happened – …

Read more

Pace Laps: Young and Hungry Rookies, Mikhail Aleshin Impresses & K&N Pro Series Action

2016 Phoenix I NXS Erik Jones Daniel Suarez Kyle BUsch racing Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Sprint Cup: Young & Hungry – We are starting to witness a pattern in the Sprint Cup Series: The young drivers are here to race. The three men in particular are Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney as each of them scored a top-10 result Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway. If Sunday was your first …

Read more